Support Services

Our Approach Is

Learner-centered We put student learning at
the center of the teaching process, helping faculty, postdocs
and graduate students to develop course objectives,
assessments, and instructional activities that together
support and promote student learning and performance.

Educational We help faculty members, postdocs
and graduate students gain a deeper understanding of the
principles that underlie effective learning and teaching so
that they can make appropriate teaching decisions for their
own courses. We do not simply dispense teaching tips.

Collaborative We work closely with faculty,
postdocs and graduate students to help them identify their
strengths as teachers and to jointly devise strategies for
course improvement and educational innovation.

Constructive We focus on providing
constructive and practical feedback to help our colleagues
succeed as educators. Our role is to support teaching, not to
judge performance.

Data-driven We help faculty members, postdocs
and graduate students to identify and address the sources of
their teaching problems by collecting information from
classroom observations, student focus groups, and examination
of teaching materials.

Research-based We distill, synthesize and
apply research integrated from a range of disciplines to help
faculty and graduate students design and teach more effective
courses. We also help faculty colleagues to conduct
educational research in their disciplines where gaps in the
literature exist.

We Work With

All faculty members and postdocs who teach (e.g.,
tenure-track, teaching-track, visiting, adjunct) and graduate
students (e.g., teaching assistant, instructor, and future
faculty) who want to reflect on and improve their
teaching. This includes those who are:

new to Carnegie Mellon and want to calibrate to our students
and the institution.

experienced and successful teachers who want to try new
techniques, approaches or technologies.

encountering difficulties in their courses and want help
identifying and addressing problems.

new to teaching and want help getting started (including
graduate students who anticipate pursuing an academic
career).

Consultations Are

Strictly confidential We do not disclose any
information from our consultations. This includes the
identities of those with whom we work, the information they
share with us, and data we gather on their behalf via
classroom observations and interactions with TAs and students.

Documented for faculty and graduate student purposes
alone We provide written feedback to the colleagues
with whom we consult that summarizes and documents the
consultation process. We do not write letters of support for
reappointment, promotion or tenure, but faculty can choose
to use our documentation as they see fit.

Voluntary We do not seek out faculty or
graduate students, but we are happy to meet with anyone who
contacts us.